Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Ceshakira White’

ABSTRACT

A  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Ceshakira White’ characterized by its large sized spider type inflorescences with white ray-florets and a green disc, with a response time of 50 days, and which can be grown as a spraymum as well as a disbud mum.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘Ceshakira White’ is a product of a breeding-program which had the objective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars with a spider type flower, a 7 week response and a medium plant height (90 cm). The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant. ‘Ceshakira White’ is a seedling from a cross in a breeding program maintained under the control of inventor. The female parent is # 16104—unpatented—, an unnamed seedling not available to inventor for description. The male parent is unknown, being a mixed population of a group of male parents. The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by Mark Roland Boeder in a controlled environment (greenhouse) in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in 2002. The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Ceshakira White’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in 2002 and propagated further in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum bearing large sized double-type spider inflorescences with white ray-florets and a green disc; this spraymum variety can also be grown as a disbud.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of blooms of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classification Chrysanthemum morifolium. The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown in April/May in a greenhouse in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in a photo-periodic controlled crop under conditions generally used in commercial practice. The greenhouse temperatures during this crop were at day-time between 18° C. and 25° C. and at night 20° C. After a long day period of 14 days the photo-periodic response time in this crop was 50 days. After the long day period to flowering growth retardants were applied 2 to 3 times in an average dose of 2.5 gram/liter water. The plants were observed (directly) during the flowering of this crop. This variety is sensitive to infestation by white rust, thrips and leaf miner. This new variety produces large sized spider inflorescences with white ray-florets and a green disc, flowering on the plant for 1 week. This new variety of chrysanthemum has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics throughout successive propagations, however the phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as light intensity and temperature. To show the phenotype as described ‘Ceshakira White’ can be under greenhouse conditions in The Netherlands. With assimilation light (minimum level 2500 lux) it can be planted year round under greenhouse conditions.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivars in comparison to ‘Ceshakira White’ is ‘Delianne’ non patented and ‘Anastasia’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,550). When ‘Delianne’, ‘Anastasia’ and ‘Ceshakira White’ are being compared the following differences and similarities are noticed: ‘Delianne’, ‘Anastasia’ and ‘Ceshakira White’ all have spider type white inflorescences. The differences of ‘Delianne’, ‘Anastasia’ and ‘Ceshakira White’ are (1) number of inflorescences per stem. ‘Ceshakira White’ produces a higher number of blooms per stem than ‘Delianne’ or ‘Anastasia’. (2) visibility of disc florets. In mature flowers, the presence of disc florets is more conspicuous in ‘Ceshakira White’ than in ‘Delianne’ and ‘Anastasia’. (3) Width of ray-florets. The width of ray florets of ‘Anastasia’ is smaller than that of ‘Delianne’ and ‘Ceshakira White’.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish ‘Ceshakira White’ as a new and distinct variety. The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart used in this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, edition 1995.

TABLE 1 Botanical Description of variety ‘Ceshakira White’ Bud Size Medium, cross-section 1.2 cm height 0.8 cm Outside color Yellow-green 145 D with center of Green 143 A Phyllaries 2 rows, length 7 mm, width 3 mm Phyllaries among disc- Not present florets Phyllaries color Green 138 B Inflorescence Type Double Height 2 cm Size Large Fully expanded 7 cm (spraymum); 11 cm (disbud) Number of inflorescences Average of 15 per stem Performance on the plant 1 week Seeds (if crossed) Produced in small quantities, oval shaped, grey-brown 199 A, 2 mm in length. Fragrance Typical chrysanthemum, slight Peduncle length Near the top 6 cm, near the middle 10 cm, near the bottom 20 cm Peduncle color Green 143 A Color Center of the flower Immature Green 143 A (disc-florets) Mature Green 143 A to Yellow-green 151 A Color of the ray-florets Upper surface Yellow-green 150 C (inner row) and White 155 D (outer row) Lower surface Yellow-green 150 C (inner row) and White 155 D (outer row) Tonality from Distance A spray mum with white flowers and a green disc Color of the upper White 155 D surface of the ray-florets after aging of the plant Ray florets Texture Upper and under side smooth Number 220-230 Cross section Fused into tube Longitudinal axis of Incurving (inner row); straight (outer row) majority Length of corolla tube 1.5 cm (inner row) to 4.2 cm (outer row) Ray-floret margin Entire Ray-floret length 1.5 cm (inner row) to 4.3 cm (outer row) Ray-floret width 0.3-0.8 cm Ratio length/width 5 Shape of tip Quilled and occasionally spatulate Disc florets Disc diameter 1 cm Distribution of disc Few, only visible at mature stage of florets flowering Shape Tubular Color Yellow 11 D Receptacle shape Conical raised Reproductive Organs Stamen Present in disc florets only Stamen color Yellow-green 144 A Pollen Produced in small quantity Pollen color Yellow 7 A Styles Present in both ray and disc florets Style color Yellow 13 A Style Length 4 mm Stigma color Yellow-green 145 D Stigma Width 1 mm Ovaries Enclosed in perianth Plant Form A spray mum meant for erect culture; also grown as disbud Growth habit Upright Growth rate Vigorous Height 90 cm Width 27 cm Internode length 2-3 cm Spray formation Corymbiform Stem Color Green 138 A-139 A Stem Strength Strong Stem Brittleness Not brittle Stem Anthocyanin Absent coloration Flowering Response 48-50 days in summer to 58 days in winter (photo-periodic controlled crop, not natural season) Foliage Color immature stage Upper side Green 143 A Under side Green 138 A Color mature stage Upper side Yellow-green 147 A Under side Green 138 A Color midvein mature Upper side Yellow-green 147 D leaf Under side Yellow-green 148 D Size Large; length 13 cm, width 7 cm Quantity (number per 32 single stem) Shape Elliptic Texture upper side Fleshy and glabrous Texture under side Pubescent Venation arrangement Palmate Shape of the margin Serrate Shape of Base of Sinus Rounded Between Lateral Lobes Margin of Sinus Between Diverging Lateral Lobes Shape of Base Obtuse to asymmetric Apex Mucronulate Petiole Length 2-3 cm Petiole Color Yellow-green 147 D

TABLE 2 Differences with comparison varieties ‘Ceshakira White’ ‘Delianne’ ‘Anastasia’ Number of inflorescences 15 12 12 Visibility disc florets in visible inconspicuous inconspicuous mature flowers Width ray florets More broad More broad Small 

1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described and illustrated. 